The seven journalists running the the ‘Voice of Peace’ programme on the Freie Radio (Freirad) Innsbruck channel come from Iraq, Syria and several other countries.
They started the programme to help encourage integration between Austrian society and refugees by raising awareness among refugee communities about asylum laws and public life in Austria.
They will also feature podcasts about Austrian policy and the personal experiences of asylum seekers and refugees in the country. “But it will fun, otherwise it will get boring,” journalist Al Broni, who is from Iraq and has worked for the BBC, told the Tiroler Tageszeitung.
Speaking to the ORF, another Iraqi journalist also celebrated the fact that in Austria they can work in freedom from fear or censorship.
“Every year more than 350 journalists die in Iraq,” said journalist Nassir, from Baghdad. “If you speak the truth, you die.”
Iraqi journalist Hameed Abu-Raghee added: “We are thankful that Freirad provide us with work things so that we can continue practising our profession.”
One interview carried out so far by the programme was with the Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern.
The show, which is broadcast in German, English and Arabic, can be heard every Friday at 5pm and then Wednesday at 9am when it is repeated.